Views on everything going on at Chelsea, from the first team, to the reserves, the youth team and transfer targets straight from the Shed End...and even the Allianz Arena

Tuesday, 12 June 2012

Goalkeeping Transition?

I'm fairly happy with where we are right now, we have Cech who despite the odd mistake has pulled of some amazing saves last season and nothing short of a goalkeeping master class in Munich. He has recently signed a new contract and looks to be around for the next few years.

Turnbull has just entered the last year of his contract, I would look to extend this by three more years, taking him to June 2016, we have young promising goalkeepers who would benefit from going out on loan. So why they develop he is a okay back-up choice, people said after the Liverpool game he should go. He was awful in that game but so were Terry and Ivanovic and I wouldn't think about getting rid of either of them after one bad game. He had some great cup games this year and I'm confident if he needs to step in from time to time.

Hilario has one year left, this for me will be his final year at the club, he like Turnbull is there just to cover the transition period between youngster and first team squad for the prospects. He is unlikely to be called upon and has been a good servant, especially when you look back to his miraculous debut against Barcelona where he kept a clean sheet.

Courtois is one of the most promising goalkeepers in world football, with both Barca and Madrid interested in his talent. But there is no way we are selling, he is set to spend next season back at Atletico Madrid where he had a phenomenal season last year. After that it is likely he will spend one year on loan to a Premiership side before a year as Cech's understudy before taking the reigns in the 2015/2016 season allowing us to sell Cech in three years, aged 33 still demanding a fee in the region of £10m.

Blackman has been a promising keeper in the Chelsea youth set up, since Hilario signed a new one year contract in March I expect him to go out on loan for a season to gain first team experience, most likely in the second or third tier of English Football before returning to the club for one year to work as Cech's understudy before spending a year on loan in the 2014/2015 season to gain further experience and finally returning to the club in 2015/2016 to be understudy for Courtois.